Lost Youth

To forskellige retssager bringer John Deed og Jo Mills på kant med hinanden. Samtidig fortæller Jo, at hun har planer om at gifte sig med Marc Thompson. Nyheden slår Deed ud af kurs. I frustration går han på udkig efter et slagsmål - og det går ud over indenrigsminister Neil Haughton.

Deed has to judge a case concerning Jo's boyfriend, Marc Thompson. Marc wants to take the decision not to resuscitate a two-year old patient at his hospital who has a weak heart and is in a coma, if the child's heart stops again, but the parents disagree. In another case, Deed has to sentence a young thief, and the youth then dies in custody. All this brings back Deed's memories of his own traumatic childhood. He is spoiling for a fight and argues with Jo - who announces that she has decided to marry Marc.